The present invention relates to an educational manipulative to assist special needs children to learn how to set a table.
The present invention provides a product designed for two primary categories of children with special needs. The first category is Educable Mentally Handicapped (EMH) children, who are able to be taught in a classroom setting and have the potential to progress into a vocational-tech career path. The second category is Trainable Mentally Handicapped (TMH) children, who have the abilities to understand and use what they have learned, but on a limited basis. Both groups of children, if properly taught, have the possibility of moving into Independent Living Environments.
The present invention may also benefit individuals with motor or cognitive difficulties that are not necessarily categorized as mentally handicapped. For instance, the apparatus of the invention could be used by adults who need special assistance with fine motor skills, including individuals who suffer from strokes or other impairments that require some type of therapeutic intervention.
Historically, children with special needs have been overlooked by the educational establishment. As such, there are limited tools available to assist special needs children to learn even rudimentary skills for living, such as setting a table. Largely, this has been on the assumption that special needs children simply were incapable of learning, or that they would learn through repeated trial and error, and by following the example of others in setting a table.
An effective training system teaches an important and useful skill that is fun for the student. The system should be designed to the level of the learning ability of the student because one that is too complicated will frustrate and cause confusion. This is especially important when training persons with learning disabilities and also those having short attention spans who may become easily frustrated. Many of the currently available training systems for teaching a student how to set a table are geared to skill levels above persons in these groups.
Existing training tools are often complicated. Even after a student has been instructed on how to perform the lesson, they may still be apprehensive and uncertain when required to perform the lesson independently. These types of training systems are often not enjoyed by the students resulting in their reluctance or refusal to use them.
None of the techniques are suitable for the current educational climate in which the education of special needs children is finally being properly addressed. In particular, the educational establishment has yet to come up with appropriate kits or manipulatives to assist special needs children in learning how to set a table.
Therefore, there is a need for a system of training students how to set a table that uses intuitive and relaxed methods that students can understand and use independently after a minimal amount of instruction.